Story and photos compiled by Rebecca Gresham, Public Affairs Specialist, Lubbock, Texas

Driving through the Texas Panhandle, you’ll find the Mallet Ranch, where rich history and heritage meets innovation in range management. Amid the high plains, efforts to balance modern conservation practices with time-honored ranching traditions is underway. The ranch is thriving as a commercial cow-calf operation, exemplifying sustainable land stewardship. 

The ranch's legacy continues to evolve, with a strong emphasis on the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) as an ally. Their partnership ensures the land's health and productivity for years to come. Under the guidance of Ranch Manager and Attorney, Bill Lane, and Field Supervisor, Steve Killingsworth, the conservation work on Mallet Ranch is just beginning. Grazing lessees Mike Henson and Rick Houston have also been key to improvements since coming on to the property they’ve grown to love.

History of the Mallet Ranch

The Mallet Ranch, located in the Llano Estacado in the Texas Panhandle southwest of Lubbock, was the last frontier for cattlemen in the late 1800s. David DeVitt and John Scharbauer arrived here to purchase a herd branded with a mallet symbol, brought north by Theodore Shuster after the Mallet Cattle Company went bankrupt. Scharbauer and DeVitt acquired 3,800 cattle and leased 150,000 acres of state land, establishing the Mallet Ranch in Hockley County on what was formerly known as the K Ranch.

Despite severe droughts, DeVitt held onto the land and continued to acquire more acres. In 1920, he partnered with the D.W Johnson and his brother, J.E. Johnson. Upon DeVitt's death, the Mallet Ranch continued under the management of the DeVitt family and the Johnson brothers. Lane credits the ranch's longevity to DeVitt's tenacity.

Present Day Ranch Operations

Today, the Mallet Ranch operates as a commercial cow-calf operation on about 48,000 acres. Grazing leases were granted to Henson and Houston, who quickly requested a forage inventory and grazing plan to help them better manage the land.
 
Henson and Houston have been using Mallet Ranch for grazing since 2015. Henson stays on the south half while Houston manages the north. Both ranchers bring extensive experience to their operations and have forged a strong partnership to effectively manage the land.
 

“My involvement with Rick started out as just helping him brand years ago. He needed a place to go with cattle and at that time I didn’t have enough to stock the Mallet Ranch, so I said let’s split it,” Henson says.

“The grass is real strong here and the cattle do really well,” says Houston. He recalls deciding in the early 90s that he wanted to run cows after having run yearlings most of his life. “The unique thing about grazing the Mallet is even though it’s in a droughty part of the country, we manage the numbers on what grass we have and don’t ever overgraze it,” Houston says. “More times than not, we’re under grazing it. That’s just something you’ve gotta play with.”

Henson reached out to the NRCS after acquiring his lease to establish a baseline for stocking rates and grazing plans. A cattle rancher since the age of 19, Henson oversees the NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) contracts. His deep knowledge of ranching stems from his grandfather's influence, and over the years, he has grown his herd and honed his ranching skills. "NRCS has been good to work with," he says, highlighting the positive impact of their collaboration.

A forage inventory completed in 2021 established a baseline stocking rate and developed grazing management scenarios.

“The technical assistance we started with was to get a baseline inventory of the resources we’re working with. From a range management perspective and from a grazing management perspective that involves coming to the ranch, going out to your different ecological sites, your different soil types, and trying to get a snapshot of the different grass species that are growing and how much of it there is,” NRCS Grazing Specialist, Matthew Coffman says. “In terms of getting a brush management plan together, it’s gathering brush transects to identify different species, so we know how to go about addressing those.”
 

As Ranch Manager, Lane oversees the conservation work on the ranch, collaborating with Coffman, Henson, and Houston on grazing rates, brush management contracts, prescribed burning, and spraying for mesquite. Regular communication ensures the grazing resource is not overused or mismanaged. They adjust stocking rates based on rainfall and forage conditions.

Brush Management and Grazing Practices

The brush management program began in 2022, successfully treating several pastures for mesquite in the summer of 2023. The mesquite trees have spread out to a point they’re limiting a large number of acres from being used for grazing. A prescribed burn is planned, contingent on drought and rainfall conditions.
 

Thankful for the technical guidance they’ve received, Henson recalls how he first learned about NRCS through the EQIP program on his farmland. "Matt Coffman is really good when it comes to stocking rates. He knows what grass is there. He comes out, looks, and tells us what we need," Henson says, praising the NRCS Grazing Specialist. This relationship has been instrumental in managing the ranch's resources.

Houston agrees. “Matt came up with a rotational grazing plan for us and it’s working really well,” he says. “He can eyeball it and tell us exact numbers that we need to put in each pasture.”

Success and Challenges

Implementing these conservation practices has already shown positive results. Despite two summers of extreme drought and heat, the ranch has fared well, thanks to careful stocking rate management and grazing practices. "Even with the lighter rain, we still grow grass," Henson remarks.

One of the key challenges has been dry weather and relentless wind. "The past five years have been way below normal for rainfall, but this ranch has taken care of that because of the way we stock it. We stock it very lightly and leave pastures out for years," Henson explains. This approach has led to a 98% calving rate on first-calf heifers, demonstrating the effectiveness of natural grazing and minimal human interference.

In addition to their livestock, the work they’re doing is improving the overall habitat at Mallet Ranch. “The NRCS program that we’re on is helping us maintain a nice habitat for the wildlife and we get to graze it at the same time without harming either one,” Houston says.

“There’s lots of places where we’re getting some flowers to bloom,” Killingsworth adds, confirming the range management efforts are beneficial for the native flora. The resurgence of wildflowers not only beautifies the landscape but also supports pollinators and other wildlife, contributing to a healthier and more resilient ecosystem.

Looking Forward

The ranch continues to implement and refine its conservation practices, with plans to spray a 530-acre plot for mesquite and conduct prescribed burns as conditions allow. "Hopefully in the future we’ll have a lot of these mesquites knocked out," Henson says, emphasizing the long-term commitment to land improvement.

The success of these efforts is evident in the healthy, self-sufficient cattle. "They take care of themselves, the ranch takes care of them, and we try to take care of the ranch," Henson says.

“We wouldn’t’ do it if we didn’t love it,” Houston adds. “It’s a joy, especially in the evenings, to ride through these cattle and see everything in harmony.”

Inspiring Future Conservationists

The history and continued evolution of Mallet Ranch serves to show the power of effective land management and the benefits of working with conservation agencies like NRCS.

"2015 was a great year, 2016 was a good year, and everything went well until 2020 when we hit the drought," Houston recalls. Despite the hardships so many Texans faced, he offers that careful management through NRCS has been the key to sustaining the ranch. “As long as we keep that plan going, I think we’ll be okay.”

The Mallet Ranch stands as a symbol of resilience and effective land stewardship. Through the hard work of dedicated ranchers like Henson and Houston and the support of experts at the NRCS, the historic ranch has thrived and adapted to changing conditions. 

“It’s been a good partnership that I’ve had a lot of fun with,” Coffman says of working with Henson and Houston, describing their interests as aligning with those of the conservation agency. He refers to the communication needed to pull this off as a balancing act. “I’m talking back and forth with Mike and Rick and we’re talking back and forth with the owners and that’s the nuts and bolts of trying to get a grazing plan applied on an operation like this.” 

The impressive legacy of conservation and commitment to sustainable practices ensures the ranch will remain a thriving operation well into the future.

“When I come to the Mallet Ranch and spend the day—when I drive up and see my cattle, I know they’re gonna look good,” Henson says. “When I see the babies, I know they’re gonna be healthy babies because of the way the grasses are and what the Mallet Ranch does for our cattle.”